1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to electrical connectors, and more particularly, to an electrical connector for receiving a camera module therein to connect the camera module electrically with a circuit board and a camera device having the same.
2. Description of Related Art
With the development of the optical imaging technology, camera devices are becoming widely used in electronic devices such as digital cameras and mobile phones.
FIG. 4 shows an electrical connector 100a configured (i.e., structured and arranged) for receiving a camera module therein to connect the camera module electrically with a circuit board according to a related article of technology. The electrical connector 100a includes a metallic housing 10a, an insulative casing 20a and a number of signal terminals 30a. The metallic housing 10a shields the insulative casing 20a from electro-magnetic interference (EMI). The insulative casing 20a includes a bottom wall 21a and four side walls 22a which together define a receiving space for receiving a camera module. The signal terminals 30a are fixed respectively on four side walls 22a of the insulative casing 20a. Each signal terminal 30a has a contact portion 31a at one end and a bonding portion 32a at the other end. The contact portion 31a extends into the receiving space for electrically connecting with the camera module received therein and the bonding portion 32a extends outside of the insulative casing 20a for bonding to a circuit board.
Referring to FIG. 5, a camera module usually has a base board 2a for an image sensor 1a mounted thereon. The base board 2a has wires disposed therein and is electrically connected with the image sensor 1a. The base board 2a can contact with the contact portion 31a of the signal terminal 30a for output signals from the image sensor 1a by electrical connection points disposed on its side or bottom outer surface. As well as the image sensor 1a, the base board 2a also has other electronic elements 3a, such as resistors and capacitors, mounted thereon.
As a result of miniaturization, when the camera module is inserted into the electrical connector 100a, the distance between the bottom outer surface of the base board 2a and the bottom wall 21a of the insulative casing 20a can be too small to receive electronic elements 3a mounted on the base board 2a. So, both the electronic elements 3a and the image sensor 1a have to be mounted on a surface of the base board 2a facing an object side of camera module. Accordingly, the base board 2a needs to have a relatively large size.
What is needed, therefore, is an electrical connector and a camera device capable of miniaturization.